Preface: Positive Psychiatry, Neuroscience, End of Life, and Other Essays

MSM 2016 is titled Positive Psychiatry, Neuroscience, End of Life, and Other Essays. It is dedicated to the memory of Dr. P.C. Shastri (See Dedication: Late Prof. P. C. Shastri: A Role Model and Teacher Par – Excellence by K. P. Dave) (pg 1).

Fushun Wang and Alfredo Pereira Jr. write a review on the psychiatry-neuroscience interface, “Neuromodulation, Emotional Feelings and Affective Disorders,” (pg 5) followed by Thomas L. Schwartz and Daniel Santarsieri’s article in the same field, “Neural Implications of Psychotherapy, Pharmacotherapy, and Combined Treatment in Major Depressive Disorder (pg 30).”

Ajai R. Singh MD and Shakuntala A. Singh PhD write an article on the bioethics of the nascent branch called Positive Psychiatry, “Bioethical and Other Philosophical Considerations in Positive Psychiatry.” (pg 46). This is followed by two articles on the Indian perspective in the field of psychiatry and the task before it today. The first is Kishore P. Dave’s review called, “Field of Psychiatry-Current Trends and Future Directions: An Indian Perspective.” (pg 108). The second is Avinash De Sousa’s, “Task before Indian Psychiatry Today: Commentary,” (pg 118) which is a response to an earlier MSM 2014 article, “The Task before Psychiatry Today Redux: STSPIR” (Singh AR. Mens Sana Monogr 12:35–70).

The “out of flatland” notion of a world view on well-being and the issue of dualism in modern western medicine are two philosophical areas covered in the next two articles. Danilo Garcia and Patricia Rosenberg write on, “Out of Flatland: The Role of the Notion of a Worldview in the Science of Well-being,” (pg 133), while Mathew H. Gendle deals with “The Problem of Dualism in Modern Western Medicine” (pg 141).

End-of-life care in India, reflections on psycho-oncology and philosophical issues of rationality in longevity and immortality are covered in the next three articles. Jayita K. Deodhar writes on, “End of Life Care and Psychiatry: Current Trends and Future Directions in India.” (pg 152). R. Srinivasa Murthy gives his personal reflections with its lessons for psycho-oncology in India in his article, “Lessons of being a patient – personal thoughts about psycho-oncology in India.” (pg 171). Gopal C. Bhar combines science and Indian philosophical thought to write his article, “In Search of Rationality in Human Longevity and Immortality.” (pg 187).

In the MSM Book Review, Michio Kaku’s book The Future of the Mind (The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance and Empower the Mind) is reviewed by Avinash De Sousa (pg 214).

In MSM Poems, four Poems follow. 1. “Why me?” By Hitesh Sheth; 2. “Happy New Year” by Ajai R. Singh; 3. “Split Personality” by Ganesh Dharmasaktu; and 3. “My trysts and travails” by Santosh Rai and Vishak Acharya (pg 221-228).

In MSM Musicology, Ajai R. Singh writes on the defining influences of his father and his guruji in, “What Music Means to Me” (pg 229).

MSMnow includes Musicology as an important aspect of its activity. This is reflected in its changed masthead. MSM is now “A Monograph Series Devoted to the Understanding of Medicine, Mental Health, Man, Mind, Music And Their Matrix.

Just to recapitulate what we stand for: MSM attempts to give in-depth understanding of psychiatric disorders/mental health issues/social disorders/neuroscience and consciousness studies/issues in philosophy of/and psychiatry, philosophy of mind, musicology and journalology. It does so through analysis and opinion/review articles and monographs based on evidence and research studies. Monographs are followed by enlightened discussion by interested readers/scholars on the issues raised therein. MSM also has MSM Book Review, MSM Poems and MSM Musicology sections. Every issue of the Journal is also published as a book with a separate ISBN number.

For whom is MSM worthwhile? The Mens Sana Monographs provide a wide platform for serious discussion by psychiatric and mental health researchers, medical scientists and clinicians, researchers in biomedicine, bioethicists, neuroscientists, social scientists, philosophers of mind/science, psychologists, sociologists, musicologists and journalologists, and other thinkers interested in exploring social issues with scientific rigour.